AW Chat will still be running. Instructions for connecting, if you wanna try it out in advance, are here (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178738). We do Word Wars, weekly writing challenges, occasional sentence workshopping, and the hungrier you are the more likely we are to be talking about food.

zanzjan

05-08-2015, 07:08 AM

...sneaks in after Mac to mention that AW Chat will still be running. Instructions for connecting, if you wanna try it out in advance, are here (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178738). We do Word Wars, weekly writing challenges, occasional sentence workshopping, and the hungrier you are the more likely we are to be talking about food.

Helix

05-08-2015, 07:12 AM

*sets clock to Pacific Time*

*buys new box of pens, a dozen notepads and a kilo of coffee beans*

Haggis

05-08-2015, 07:16 AM

Two days. Well, damn. Of course I've always wanted to write that novel.

Helix

05-08-2015, 07:32 AM

Two days. Well, damn. Of course I've always wanted to write that novel.

Here. Have half of my beans. I can get some more in.

:e2coffee:

Maggie Maxwell

05-08-2015, 07:32 AM

Practically the whole weekend... without y'all? *whimper**curls up into a ball and rocks* All weekend and no AW makes Maxwell a madgirl. All weekend and no AW makes Maxwell a madgirl. All weekend and no AW makes Maxwell a madgirl.

Haggis

05-08-2015, 07:33 AM

Here. Have half of my beans. I can get some more in.

:e2coffee:
Wait. Did you just call me a moron?

Helix

05-08-2015, 07:35 AM

Wait. Did you just call me a moron?

Not a moron.

Blast. That doesn't work.

You win, Haggis. This time.

Haggis

05-08-2015, 07:40 AM

Heh. I know you'll be back for more.

But not until next week.:evil

zanzjan

05-08-2015, 07:43 AM

Oh, and assuming AW is still down at Flash Fiction Challenge time (9pm eastern, so 3 hrs before the maintenance window is up) I'll be handing out the prompt via chat. Instead of 90 minutes, you'll have from the time I give it to you until AW is back up, OR 90 minutes, whichever is longer :)

ebrillblaiddes

05-08-2015, 08:52 AM

While you wait for the forums to be back up, we suggest you write.
You mean we should take advantage of the situation of having one less potential nonwriting thing to do? *gasp*

You know, if anyone wanted to divide up an outline among several people (like Atlanta Nights except maybe without being intentionally terrible), this would be perfect timing...

benbradley

05-08-2015, 09:28 AM

<karl malden="" voice="">[Karl Malden voice]

What will I do? What will I do?

[/]
Maybe I should get a cat. I already have a vacuum cleaner.

Oh, and assuming AW is still down at Flash Fiction Challenge time (9pm eastern, so 3 hrs before the maintenance window is up) I'll be handing out the prompt via chat.
Chat? Oh, you mean that quaint old IRC thing.

You mean we should take advantage of the situation of having one less potential nonwriting thing to do? *gasp*

You know, if anyone wanted to divide up an outline among several people (like Atlanta Nights except maybe without being intentionally terrible), this would be perfect timing...
We can organize this on Twitter. Find me there in my sig. Remember, that's TWO underscores...</karl>

10trackers

05-08-2015, 11:56 AM

Chat? Oh, you mean that quaint old IRC thing.

Oh I say. :e2faint:

Come to chat, everybody. We have everything for your procrastination needs. Why, since I joined chat, I haven't gotten any writing done!*

*This is a lie.

robjvargas

05-08-2015, 05:49 PM

You said it we could come here to whimper, so...

::whimper:: :gaah:Headbang::gaah

Chase

05-08-2015, 07:05 PM

Change isn't the long suit of most old guys. http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Others/old-300.gif Will there be counselors standing by?

Jaycinth

05-08-2015, 07:16 PM

OOOOH! SHINEY! NEW!:fistpump

zanzjan

05-08-2015, 07:53 PM

Change isn't the long suit of most old guys. http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Others/old-300.gif Will there be counselors standing by?

Eh, minor changes only. Users' keyboards will be automatically switched over to dvorak, quoted text will now be made more prominent with the "blink" tag force-enabled, and any time a user posts an excerpt in SYW containing more than three spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors -- or the word "moist" -- a bot will search their hard drive and delete the entire offending work.

Also, folks will only be allowed to have avatars based on characters who have died horribly in Game of Thrones. Fortunately we anticipate all 62,000 members should be able to pick a unique avatar from the available pool with plenty left over.

Maggie Maxwell

05-08-2015, 07:59 PM

Also, folks will only be allowed to have avatars based on characters who have died horribly in Game of Thrones. Fortunately we anticipate all 62,000 members should be able to pick a unique avatar from the available pool with plenty left over.

Dibs on Dead Soldier #236. Y'all know the one. That's mine.

AW Admin

05-08-2015, 08:03 PM

Change isn't the long suit of most old guys. http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Others/old-300.gif Will there be counselors standing by?

Once the hard haul is done, I'll be around.

We will attempt to retain the familiar. Most of the changes are "under the hood."

It will probably take us a day or two to get everything "proper" in terms of the appearance, but it really shouldn't be a whole lot different.

Kylabelle

05-08-2015, 08:09 PM

Eh, minor changes only. Users' keyboards will be automatically switched over to dvorak, quoted text will now be made more prominent with the "blink" tag force-enabled, and any time a user posts an excerpt in SYW containing more than three spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors -- or the word "moist" -- a bot will search their hard drive and delete the entire offending work.

Also, folks will only be allowed to have avatars based on characters who have died horribly in Game of Thrones. Fortunately we anticipate all 62,000 members should be able to pick a unique avatar from the available pool with plenty left over.

Poets are, of course, exempt from all these rules and requirements.

zanzjan

05-08-2015, 08:20 PM

Poets are, of course, being told they're exempt from the new rules and requirements.

:popcorn:

Haggis

05-08-2015, 08:20 PM

Poets are, of course, exempt from all these rules and requirements because their avatars will all be changed to a picture of Carl Sandburg.
FIFY

SaraP

05-08-2015, 08:21 PM

Here's hoping everything goes off smoothly, and many thanks to Mac&Lisa for taking such great care of us. :Hug2:

Also wanted to echo what was said earlier about the chat room - our regulars are a great bunch of folks and I we always enjoy having new peeps in. :D

Kylabelle

05-08-2015, 08:40 PM

Poets are, of course, being told they're exempt from the new rules and requirements.

:popcorn:

traitor.

FIFY

Carl's fine. Just don't use old Walt Whitman. He's unreliable. No telling what you'll let in the door riding in that beard.

BethS

05-08-2015, 09:15 PM

I've been curious to know if there are regular downtimes built in. I've noticed lately that I often can't access AW during the mid- to late-morning hours. I get one of those "This page cannot be displayed" errors, although the internet is otherwise fine. My time zone is GMT +1, so that would mean the outtages are occuring in the early morning hours Pacific Time.

alleycat

05-08-2015, 09:34 PM

I will be helping during the upgrade by playing with yarn.

MacAllister

05-08-2015, 09:35 PM

Beth, the short answer is no, we don't have regular planned maintenance outages built into the schedule. However, when the backup scripts are running, something it bogs things down.

PandaMan

05-08-2015, 10:05 PM

I've been curious to know if there are regular downtimes built in. I've noticed lately that I often can't access AW during the mid- to late-morning hours. I get one of those "This page cannot be displayed" errors, although the internet is otherwise fine. My time zone is GMT +1, so that would mean the outtages are occuring in the early morning hours Pacific Time.

From time to time, I have this issue too. I did this morning around 9ish EDT, but that's around 3 in the afternoon for you in Europe. Perhaps the backup scripts run multiple times a day.

Gilroy Cullen

05-08-2015, 11:07 PM

Imagine all the P&CE posts that are going to back up during the downtime...

BethS

05-08-2015, 11:25 PM

Beth, the short answer is no, we don't have regular planned maintenance outages built into the schedule. However, when the backup scripts are running, something it bogs things down.

That could explain it. Thanks.

kkbe

05-09-2015, 12:23 AM

While you wait for the forums to be back up, we suggest you write.
Got a jump on it, Mac:

I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane. I will not go insane not go insane I will go insane not go insane go insane insane insane ins
:tongue

ZachJPayne

05-09-2015, 01:52 AM

No beer and AW make Homer go crazy.

Oh wait.

:D

mirandashell

05-09-2015, 02:06 AM

From time to time, I have this issue too. I did this morning around 9ish EDT, but that's around 3 in the afternoon for you in Europe. Perhaps the backup scripts run multiple times a day.

I get this quite often as well. Usually earlier. I just wait for it to come back. It's happening more often though. Which I assume is why you're having the upgrade?

KellyAssauer

05-09-2015, 05:33 AM

What you can do to help is, just in case, save a copy of your avatar. We expect the have them all lined up properly, but just in case, save your avatar.

Save my avatar?
This will take me from 9 am Saturday, May 9,
to 9 pm, Sunday, May 10, Pacific Time...

but it's okay.
I'll be a (more) different, but better.

:D

*hope cray hasn't read this thread*

jjdebenedictis

05-09-2015, 08:40 AM

**makes a face like this (https://reika555.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/japan-mask.gif) and flails in impotent dismay**

BenPanced

05-09-2015, 09:24 AM

While you wait for the forums to be back up, we suggest you write.
ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY. ALL WORK AND NO AW MAKE BENPANCED A DULL BOY.

phantasy

05-09-2015, 10:24 AM

Egh, I'm already having withdrawals! Now what site am I going to check every 5 seconds? Facebook? Hell, no!

RobLineberger

05-09-2015, 11:10 AM

Save my avatar?
This will take me from 9 am Saturday, May 9,
to 9 pm, Sunday, May 10, Pacific Time...

but it's okay.
I'll be a (more) different, but better.

:D

*hope cray hasn't read this thread*

I save Kelly's avatar all the time...

AnneMarble

05-09-2015, 02:52 PM

I will be helping during the upgrade by playing with yarn.

I will help by clicking refresh repeatedly to find out if the site is up yet. ;)

Jack Lebowski

05-09-2015, 07:23 PM

Damn! Okay, end of complaining. I'll miss you folks. Guess I'll see you on Monday.

I'll help by sighing wistfully and looking at the clock.:e2bummed:
Jack

AW Admin

05-09-2015, 07:42 PM

I will help by clicking refresh repeatedly to find out if the site is up yet. ;)

I know Ann's kidding, but please don't keep checking.

It'll slow things down.

As soon as it's OK to come back in, we'll announce it far and wide, but there's going to be here-and-gone syndrome as I work on testing, so please please please wait for an announcement.